Demographics and Sustainable Packaging

Indramat drive and control machinery has always been prized for its combination of precision and power. Nowhere do we see this more clearly than in the packaging industry. Especially now that the physical printing of newspapers is less common than it used to be, printing and producing packaging is taking center stage among industries that rely on Indramat machinery. Sustainable packaging is a big part of that.

Big news: sustainable packaging

The biggest news in packaging continues to be sustainability. In the exploding e-commerce space, this is particularly noticeable as a driving force in consumer decision making. A survey by Trivium Packaging found that 74% of consumers were willing to pay more for eco-friendly packaging.

But it turns out that not all consumers are equally committed to sustainable packaging. Who cares most?

  • Men care more than women. 44% of men said that sustainable packaging will bring them back to a brand for another purchase. By contrast, 39% fo women are that moved by sustainable packaging.
  • Older consumers care more than younger ones. 49% of shoppers over 60 name sustainability as the most important aspect of packaging. 46% of 18-29 year olds said the same, but only 35% of 45-60 year olds were in this group.
  • Republicans are less likely to buy sustainable products if the packaging touts the environmental friendliness, according to at least one experiment. This effect was observed when packages were labelled “Protect the Environment.”

Younger shoppers care more about the gift-worthiness or coolness of a package. A package that is exciting to open has more appeal for the youngest e-commerce shoppers.

Consumer-driven manufacturing

Factories have for years been strongly influenced by consumer preferences as the balance of power has shifted from brands to retailers to consumers. Now, brands of all sizes are pushing for greater sustainability in packaging, and may be demanding more agile responses from manufacturers of products and of packaging.

Your motion control systems have to be responsive to your needs so you can be responsive to your customers’ needs. When you need service or support for your Indramat motion control systems, we should be the first people you talk with. We are Indramat specialists, and can get you back up and running fast.